Contents

The recently-orphaned Mary Lennox travels from her home in India to her uncle Archibald Craven's hundred-room house, Misselthwaite Manor, in Yorkshire, England. Mary, materially spoiled but emotionally neglected by her late parents who had been killed in an earthquake, is rather unpleasant and unhappy in her new surroundings. Martha, a Yorkshire girl working as a maid, and her brother Dickon Sowerby, a boy who can "talk" to animals, befriend and help her to heal and grow. She discovers her deceased aunt's secret garden, which has been locked for ten years and enlists Dickon to help her bring it to life.

Hidden away in the gloomy house is Mary's cousin Colin, who has been treated all his life like a fragile, sickly invalid. This exaggeration has augmented what smaller problems he did have, turning him into a demanding, short-tempered, helpless boy. Mary, defying the orders of Mrs Medlock (who runs Misselthwaite), discovers Colin and is taken aback by his difficult nature, but reaches out to him anyway. Soon Colin, Mary, and Dickon all spend their time in the secret garden. They perform "magic"; barefoot, they make a large bonfire and play a flute, dance round it, and chant, while Colin asks the magic to send his father. Colin learns to walk and gets quite well, which his father Archibald discovers upon his return to Misselthwaite.

Yorkshire's imposing Allerton Castle stood in for most of the exterior shots of Misselthwaite Manor, and some of the interior was also used. Fountains Hall was also used for part of the Manor's exterior.[citation needed]

Interiors of the former Midland Grand Hotel were used for filming as well, notable the scenes on the grand staircase.

Holland was already internationally famous as a director before the making of the film; in making this film she continued to work outside of Poland.[2]